Heading to Mbeya

I've been living in Kibaha for about two weeks now. I'm starting to catch on to simple conversations in Swahili. This last week I've been teaching at school in Kibaha. I've been teaching english, explaining US politics, and also some pretty sweet dance moves.

Africans LOVE dancing, so any reference is always a good way to get a smile. In fact I had dinner with Joseph's parents-in-law. The kids wanted to show me thier dances, and asked me to teach me an American dance. Apparently an Australian volunteer showed them some so I had high expectations.

No knowing any other, I taught them the macarena. I just did it to some african drum music on the radio. The kids loved it, and the adults thought it was funny. So if you're ever in Tanzania and a bunch of kids aredoingthe macarena in the bush, you'll know why.

I've been having coffee at a small coffee stand an old man sets up each evening. There all the men gather for thier business "meeting" to drink coffee and tea. I've been learning Swahili there and they all have fun watching me make bizarre sentences with my limited vocabulary.

I went to a Massai church last sunday. The Masai are a tribe that histroically raise cattle and live exculisvely off dairy and meat. Now they have a more vaired diet thanks to limited grazing land. The sang songs along with an old radio, and the boys and girls did simple dances. The boys just jumped up and down in unision mostly and the girls swayed.I jumped up there too and got groovy!

Afterwards the pastor asked the small congreagation if any would like to show me thier homes. Many people volunteered, but I ended up going with the matriach of the village, a nice old lady. We walked about 15 min into the bush to her hut. The house are still built traditionally, of mud and sticks, but there is some bits of civilization around-tarps, rubber shoes, and empty bottles. A young boy also dragged me over to see his two cows. He was very excited to show me.

I tried some food, a mother invitedme into her home. It was ungali and melinde. Basically a flour dough ball and a slimy cheese and oil mixture.

I'm heading out to I need to get ready for tomorrow! Bye!

In Africa Mon

I arrived in Tanzania on Monday and Joseph picked me up from the airport with his friend Johnson. They came in a dusty 90's corolla turned taxi, and after failing to squeeze the donation suitcases into the trunk, the driver threw them in the front seat and we all sat in the back.

As we raced through the muggy Dar es Salaam air, motorbikes passed us on all sides. The driver passed vehicles in a shockingly coordinated traffic scheme that defied Western conceptions of traffic flow. We progressed into Kibaha and got drinks at the only bar in the market area, a huge thatched mechanism with food and pool tables.

I had a nice night listening to the bugs in Africa, shrouded in a nice mosquito net. The next day I hopped on to a very crowded bus with Joseph and went with him to his Internet cafe. I walked around town and learned some Tanzanian checkers.I am the only white person I know of in town, so most people noticed me.

Many were very friendly, introducing themselves in English if they knew.I'm starting to pick up Swahili, but I still cant hold a conversation in it.

The town is a maze of homemade shops more akin to a carnival set up then town by American standards. The streets are dirt,and dirt bike taxis race through from all directions. But the food is good, especially the fruit. Fresh mangoes and avocados. Yum!

I made a website for Josephs orphanage on wix and have been looking for grant opportunities, but haven't had much luck.

So far everyone has been friendly, and I've been introduced to the huge variety of sounds Africans make, squeaks, grunts and everything in between. A conversation can be very fun to watch as there is much laughing and slapping and grunting, even for mundane topics.

Tonight i will meet a volunteer from Australia that is coming in from Igamba.I will post pictures of the town another time!

Bedai!
'see you later'in Swahili